April 30, 2015 - What is Altered Ego Images anyway?

Hi everyone, it's been a while since we've posted anything over here at the Blog... we've been busy shooting sessions and working on the studio, and things have been moving along nicely over the last few months. Spring is here now, and things are switching into high gear as the weather turns to gorgeous, and all those creative juices get flowing again.

As a new studio, it's been a bit of a process figuring out exactly what it is we are doing around here. We've been trying out a number of different styles and techniques, trying to find a niche that interests not only me as an artist and photographer, but also our clients and fans. While some photographers make a living shooting a wide variety of styles and subjects, others try to find a particular niche that inspires them, and that they feel is under-served in their area. There are many, many photographers in the Charlotte area and surrounding communities, so to stand out one has to do something a bit different.

I have always had a fascination with history, and with art and artifacts from the past. I like cars from the 50's and 60's, I like art from the Renaissance, I collect swords that call back to the Middle Ages, I have statues in my house replicating those from Ancient Greece. Many of the things I love and that inspire me reference times long past. Naturally when I started trying to define my style in photography, one of the things I commonly look to is the classic methods and images, including movies and film photography, pin-up art and paintings, and the styles and clothing from decades ago. I've never really been much of a fan of "modern art" the way most people think of it... while I studied all sorts of art and paintings, I never really cared so much for the abstract, I was always drawn to the traditional, the representative, the illustrative. I love art that tells a story, or reveals a character, or recalls times and events from a particular time in history. So when I started thinking about the sorts of things I want to photograph, these themes kept coming to the front of my mind.

So, what is Altered Ego Images? The original idea was to help our clients bring out a side of themselves that they may have kept hidden, a side that was maybe a bit wilder and more daring, or just something different from the persona they show the world every day. Everyone has a part of themselves that they keep to themselves, and rarely let out to play, but sometimes you just want to let that side loose and experiment with it a bit, let the inhibitions go for a while, and have some fun. Maybe you've always wanted to be that sultry seductress in a smoky bar, dimly lit with shadows casting across your perfectly-made-up eyes. Maybe you want to go all retro like the classic pin-up art from the '50s, hair all done up, makeup done just so, being playful and seductive and silly and having some fun. Maybe you've always wanted to do a daring sexy boudoir session, for that special someone or just for yourself and nobody else, because it's just something you've always wanted to try. Maybe you have an awesome idea for a costume, for one of the many conventions in the area or just for a crazy Halloween party coming up. Or maybe you just want to get all made up by professional hair and makeup artists, and just feel fabulous in front of a camera in some classic portraits.

So that's what we're all about here at Altered Ego Images. We want to help our subjects express themselves, and to show a different side of themselves that they maybe haven't shared before. We want to collaborate with them to create images they will be proud of for years to come, and have memories to share with others, either with display pieces they can hang on the walls of their home, or private albums they keep for themselves or someone special. We have partnerships with makeup artists and hair stylists that we can bring in to help our clients look their absolute best. We're always on the lookout for new wardrobe pieces and props to add to the studio, and plan to keep building and improving and exploring new ideas. Won't you join us on this photographic adventure?